Chapter 20.
Davis had a new feeling he couldn't put his finger on. Renny looked so strange to him, like he had never seen her, her presence was different.
He had seen her dressed up before, her mother's 60th birthday party where it was formal, but she was still Renny. Something about the way she had painted herself, and the heels? The hair pulled back, so unlike her. He felt as though it was forced.
Something inside sat heavy with him, but he had to fight that it wasn't his place, that she would never see him...
He should be doing the same, he should be out there dating, and he was finding more and ore he liked the idea of coming home to someone, to be in the garden with, binge watch some TV or just mess around with, late mornings of fun and games all tangled up in the sheets. He was missing something too.
He got himself a beer and with a hardened face he leaned over his kitchen counter, an unease in his gut. Ruby barked for her dinner, and he mindlessly gave it to her, still deep in thought.
Renny, once she had become aware that it was a seafood restaurant they were going to, felt unease.
She smiled politely as he looked as though he had impressed her, pulling up to the valet. This would impress most, probably one of three of the most fancy places to go in town, the prices resembling that of an exclusive city place.
He held the door open for her, and that fishy sea smell almost knocked her out.
"Reservation for Brody for two" he said to the pretty young girl at the front, her hair as sleek and harsh as Rennys in its tight ponytail, it suited the girl but suddenly Renny was very aware of how different she felt, out of place and very awkward.
As the waitress showed them to their table, a nice spot close to a window with fishing nets on the walls and plastic crabs and fish hanging off it Reny grimaced at the plates in front of other diners.
She wished again that she had paid attention sooner, she would have said something.
"Can I start you off with some wine?" the pretty young girl asked sweetly
Brody looked at Renny, who shrugged with a smile
"Red?" he asked her
"Ok"
"Wait, do you prefer beer? Liquors?" he asked Renny
"Actually, a beer please"
"Phew" he joked "I hate wine"
Renny loved wine, but she was worried it might mess with her already weak stomach, and beer would be more filing
"Tap, please" he said and off she went with a nod and bright smile, directly at Brody
"Have you been here before?" He asked
"No i haven't"
"I love the Salmon here, they have a sauce that will knock your socks off" he explained
"Oh" she mentally threw up in her mouth
"And the calamari.." his eyes widened "they cook it to perfection"
"Mmm"
She picked up the menu, and to herself breathed 'crap' behind it.
She lingered there, pouring over anything that might be fish free. steamed vegetables and fries
"Everything ok?"
"Yes" she put the menu down, those deep red lips curling to a smile
"Did i tell you how gorgeous you look?"
"Thanks Brody" she said meekly.
Just then the waitress brought their beers and asked "do you need more time?"
"Renny?"
"You order, I'll just take one more look" hoping the options of soup, salad, fries or vegetables except for the chicken fingers on the kids menu would change.
"How about just calamari for now"
"You got it" and again, looking right in his eyes before she strut away
She was all flared up, Renny noticed. The girl had colors circling her, as she spoke to Brody, she was smitten with him
Renny couldn't blame her, that hair, those blue eyes. Renny could appreciate the girls intrigue, but still it was almost blatant.
"So renny, what brought you to this town?"
"Um, well" she wasn't about to tell him her true story, she hadn't even told Davis yet so she simply said "We moved to open the cafe"
"Didn't you come from Georgia?"
"Yes"
"Why here then? What about this little town made you want to move here to open a cafe you could open anywhere"
"Well" she thought "we both wanted a change, nut not too drastic i suppose, we still wanted a country town, but a fresh start"
"I see"
"What bout you" Renny asked "Have you lived here your whole life?"
He sat back "Wisconsin yes, but this town no. We moved when our parents died"
Melody could see a crash, it flashed in her mind - white car, crumpled pole and someone speeding off, a blue car... it was a flash, a millisecond of a movie
"A car accident?" She blurted
He looked up at her "Yeah, the drunk driver blew a stop sign and they swerved..wait did Melody tell you?"
"Yes'' she said quickly "I might have heard her talking to my mom. I'm sorry, Brody"
She got another glimpse in her mind, a woman with blonde hair, beside a man with curly brown hair, arm in arm, smiling, they held their hands to their chest, nodded' and they disappeared, into their own rose colored light.
She reached out her hand, and touched his, strumming the glass "I think they would be very proud of you both"
"I do too" and he half smiled
The waitress had come back and was watching them both, she cleared her throat "Calamari?"
And then came the reality crashing back.
She ate around the little octopus bodies, the breading, and then ordered a salad, fries and steamed vegetables
"You hate seafood dont you?" he asked as their waitress left
She peeled her mouth back in a grimacing smile "yes"
he laughed "Why didn't you say?"
"Because i realized when we pulled up, and then i didn't want to be rude.."
"Why don't we get this to go, and we'll stop and get burritos or something. Melody and your mom can have what we ordered" he suggested, amused
"No, I ordered the best I could. I might be eating your fries too though" She grinned, embarrassed
YOU ARE READING
Signs
RomanceRenny and her very proper but sweet southern mother had moved to the small Wisconsin town, and started fresh with new lives. They had started a cafe, made friends and their neighbor, a man called Davis and his dog Ruby had infiltrated her life. With...
